Jack The Ripper's 'True Identity' May Have Been Uncovered After DNA Breakthrough On Key Evidence

Jack the Ripper’s identity may finally have been uncovered thanks to a breakthrough involving one crucial piece of evidence that had survived for more than a century.

The unsolved killings tied to Jack the Ripper remain among the most infamous cold cases in British history and continue to fascinate people around the world.

The killer, believed to have been a man, murdered five women in 1888: Elizabeth Stride, Mary Jane Kelly, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, and Catherine Eddowes.

The murderer not only took their lives but also mutilated their bodies, removing organs in a way that shocked even seasoned investigators. All victims were believed to have been sex workers at the time.

More than a century later, historian Russell Edwards believes he has uncovered the true identity of the killer — and his findings point back to someone who had already appeared on the original list of suspects.

In 2007, Edwards purchased a shawl said to have belonged to Eddowes and submitted it for DNA analysis, where both blood and semen stains were detected.

Jack the Ripper killed 5 women in 1888 Stefano Bianchetti/Corbis via Getty Images

The blood was linked to one of Eddowes’ descendants, while the semen was matched to a man Edwards claimed was a distant relative of Aaron Kosminski — one of the original Ripper suspects — according to reporting by the Mirror.

Edwards shared the findings in his book Naming Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Reveal, a follow-up to his earlier work Naming Jack the Ripper.

"He is no longer just a suspect. We can hold him, finally, to account for his terrible deeds," he wrote.

"My search is over: Aaron Kosminski is Jack the Ripper."

However, some experts have raised concerns about relying on mitochondrial DNA, noting that it can make false matches more likely due to its limited ability to identify individuals with certainty.

Even with skepticism from some researchers, Edwards has pushed for a fresh investigation into the case, hoping his findings will prompt officials to reopen it.

The murderer is believed to have targeted sex workers Hulton Archive/Getty Images

As of February 2025, Newsweek reported that Edwards had submitted a letter to the attorney general in hopes of gaining permission to bring the case before the high court and begin the legal process.

Discussing his aims, Edwards said: "We now know the name and we've placed the murderer at the murder scene. Now we want that to be public knowledge though, accepted by the courts."

Members of one victim’s family have also voiced support for reopening the case.

Karen Miller — a direct descendant of Eddowes — has expressed her desire to have Kosminski formally named in court.

"The name Jack the Ripper has become sensationalized. It has gone down in history as this famous character," she told the Daily Mail in January. "People have forgotten about the victims, who did not have justice at the time. Now we need this inquest to legally name the killer."

Miller continued: "Having the real person legally named in a court which can consider all the evidence would be a form of justice for the victims."

As of now, the case has not been officially reopened, but the push for a legal review remains active.